Having scanned back over my previous ops I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t written an op on an Andy McNab novel. I have done one by the other member of the Bravo Two Zero team who went on to written fiction books Chris Ryan but it would appear that McNab is still to be done. Of course it was ... Read review
All freelances have problems when work dries up, but Nick Stone, hero of Andy McNab's ... more
second adventure thrillerFirewallhas worse problems than most of us. Expensively trained by the SAS, he now works for British Intelligence as a deniable operative, an...
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All freelances have problems when work dries up, but Nick Stone, hero of Andy McNab's ... more
second adventure thriller Firewall has worse problems than most of us. Expensively trained by the SAS, he now works for British Intelligence as a deniable operative, ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
All freelances have problems when work dries up, but Nick Stone, hero of Andy McNab's ... more
second adventure thrillerFirewallhas worse problems than most of us. Expensively trained by the SAS, he now works for British Intelligence as a deniable operative, an...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
All freelances have problems when work dries up, but Nick Stone, hero of Andy McNab's ... more
second adventure thrillerFirewallhas worse problems than most of us. Expensively trained by the SAS, he now works for British Intelligence as a deniable operative, an...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Usually dispatched within 3 to 4 weeks...
All freelances have problems when work dries up, but Nick Stone, hero of Andy McNab's ... more
second adventure thriller Firewall has worse problems than most of us. Expensively trained by the SAS, he now works for British Intelligence as a deniable operative, ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Entertaining read that gets you hooked Disadvantages: Maybe a little overdescriptive in places for some peoples taste
Having scanned back over my previous ops I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t written an op on an Andy McNab novel. I have done one by the other member of the Bravo Two Zero team who went on to written fiction books Chris Ryan but it would appear that McNab is still to be done. Of course it was his account of the Bravo Two Zero mission during the Gulf War that brought McNab to my attention and infact that book remains one of the best I’ve read to-date. ... ...didn’t know used to be a member of the SAS (Special Air Service) and undertook many missions during his time. However having left the military he needed something to fall back on and along with Training courses, advisory rolls and motivational speeches he has also taken up writing. Using his expertise in his field and drawing on his own experience to write what has fast become an addictive series.
Having scanned back over my previous ops I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t written an op on an Andy McNab novel. I have done one by the other member of the Bravo Two Zero team who went on to written fiction books Chris Ryan but it would appear that McNab is still to be done. Of course it was his account of the Bravo Two Zero mission during the Gulf War that brought McNab to my attention and infact that book remains one of the best I’ve read to-date.
McNab if you hadn’t guessed or didn’t know used to be a member of the SAS (Special Air Service) and undertook many missions during his time. However having left the military he needed something to fall back on and along with Training courses, advisory rolls and motivational speeches he has also taken up writing. Using his expertise in his field and drawing on his own experience to write what has fast become an addictive series.
The main character as with all of McNab’s books is Nick Stone, an ex SAS operative who has become a deniable operative for the British Government. During his working for the government Stone has picked up a few shady contacts on his travels and the chance of a little extra cash for some work on the side never goes a miss. This is how he finds himself teamed up with a few other chosen men to kidnap a Russian Mafia warlord for his employers.
However having captured his target Stone strikes a deal with the warlord whilst in transit and sets him free after a number of disasters effect his chances of returning to Britain alive. Of course that isn’t where Stones problems end. Having returned to London he is contacted by a representative of his new Russian friend and offered him a little more freelance work and Stone is in no position to turn it down.
His new mission involves a trip to Finland and a lot more risk than any of his previous freelance work. He has to break into a secure compound and disable a computer system, aided by a computer whiz kid. Of course as things for Stone normally do, it all goes drastically wrong. Having been arrested Stone somehow needs to escape and sort out the problems he is caught in the middle of.
Ideally it is best that you have read all of the books in the series and with this being the third you might expect that it’d be hard to pick up and start with this one. This is where McNab’s writing talent really shows through. Rather than just pick up where he left off from the previous book the main plot is totally different to any of the other books with the only connection being Stone. However when he refers to something historical, such as Kelly, a girl he is a guardian for, he gives a little history to the situation.
The continuity of Characters through the series of books helps if you’re a fan as you begin to feel familiar with Stone and to a degree Kelly from the mentions she gets in each of the books. This is something I find helps to improve McNab’s books as he is only focusing on one character and can develop him a lot more the further into the series he gets.
This has resulted in Nick Stone becoming a very strong lead character and quite possibly the best rival for Tom Clancy’s, Jack Ryan as the top character in the genre. Although I do feel that the background information on Stone and career history is a lot more believable than that of Ryan. This ultimately means that I find McNab’s books much easier to read, as when I’m reading Clancy’s I find it hard to believe that Ryan went from basically post boy to National security advisor (well maybe not that far but it’s quite similar).
McNab's writing seems to be improving with each book and this has moved on quite a bit from the first couple in terms of readability. The location descriptions are excellent as he not only thinks about it from the Point of view of the reader but also helps you to understand what a Special Forces operative would be looking for. This adds a real touch of realism to his work and makes the whole book seem more believable. Although for some people I can see this detail being a little too much and seemingly making the book a little hard going, but for my own personnel taste it works well.
Overall I'd say that McNab is one of the better authors of this sort of work. I find his books a lot easier to get into and enjoy compared to that of Clancy and his former SAS colleague Ryan. The adventures of Nick Stone are still carrying on with I think the 6th one recently released. I would recommend McNab to anyone who hasn’t read his books and remember its not essential to start at the beginning of the series but is recommended.
Available from amazon.co.uk for: £5.59 Corgi publications ISBN: 0552147974
Advantages: An action packed thriller by someone who has walked the walk rather than just talked the talk Disadvantages: None
...THE SAGA
Firewall is his third novel (The others being Remote Control and Crisis Four) and a fourth is currently out (Last Light) but I’m well behind with my reading. The main character in this and the other novels is an ex SAS chap called Nick Stone who works undercover as a K for the British Government. A K being a spy who has no recognition and can be dumped or denied by the Government if the mission goes pear shaped. With Nick, it invariably ... ...As ever with McNab Firewall is fast paced and the action can’t be faulted. It almost feels like an exercise in catharsism. I often wonder how McNab differentiates between reality and fiction and how much of himself is in the character Stone. Write about what you know is a good formula for a book and McNabb certainly knows his stuff. Even the chapters about PTSD have been well researched and his character starts to imagine walking down the healing ...
borntoloaf 15.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Firewall - Andy McNab
Advantages: Absolute thriller of a story, non stop action and intrigue Disadvantages: None
I, like a lot of other McNab fans waited eagerly for this one and it does not disappoint. I must admit I was a bit worried that he would not have been able to keep the pace (or the story itself) going after Remote Control and Crisis 4 but he has.
Not only has he come up with another thrilling story he has also managed to drag the Russians into it !! These guys though don’t mess about as the opening paragraph from the book shows ……. ... ...kidnapping by Nick Slater (the main character of his last 2 novels) of a Russian Maffioso, this is delivered with McNabs usual attention to detail. Unlike other “reviews” I wont spoil it for you by giving away what actually happens during the kidnapping suffice to say the aftermath leads onto the main story. The plot, as is becoming the pattern with McNab novels, thickens as we progress from one action packed chapter to another with lots ...
Mickm9 09.02.2001 (04.02.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Firewall - Andy McNab
Advantages: makes you feel this stuff really goes on Disadvantages: same as advantages which can be a bit scary
I have read all of Andy's books and I rate this one some where in the top 3. For those who have never read any of his books I would suggest starting from the first book in the Nick Stone series, as the story progresses.
Nick Stone yet again is manipulated into doing a dangerous job for the love of his foster daughter Kelly. Being pressured into the 'last job' is a masterpiece of ingenuity itself. This book makes you understand the relationship one ... ...However deadly Nick Stone is you cannot help having some sort of bond with the character.
This book carries the mark of someone been there and done that. That is exactly what Andy McNabb brings to his books. He HAS been there and HAS done that, which makes all the more a interesting read.
I wont go into the main story, as I feel a book is half read when you read a synopsis.
Read it and find yourself in an unforgettable adventure! ...
funkymotha 10.05.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Firewall - Andy McNab
Advantages: Realistic Super Triller Disadvantages: Can get boring
...have to hack past e firewall and collect vital information to stop the ROC from getting this they work for a man named Valatieno. With all things in life it never goes acording to plan, and they both have to face there life experance on the line. I would really recommend if you have read any of Andys books that if you liked them this is anther great one. Its around 500ish pages (about the same as crisis four) If this is your first took and you like ...
Manguin2001 02.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Firewall - Andy McNab
Advantages: Continues on from the fantastic Nick Stone series Disadvantages: It could be longer
McNab DCM MM is a fantastic spy/ espianage author with a history involving 10 years in B squadron 22 SAS and two years as an operator in the 14th Intelligence.
Ex SAS and now working as a deniable for British Intellegence, Nick Stone is reqruited on a freelance job to capture mafia worlord but soon finds himself in the cut throat underworld of Estonia. Stone's $4000 a week problem with 9-year old Kelly entises him to take on the job.Stone is challenged ... ...will stone survive the the threat of the Vikings Revenge (Removing the intestines and placing them on the chest of the victim giving them half an hour to look over their disembowled body) when the snatch goes wrong and Stone ends up switching sides. Fantastic Book Involving twists turns and cut throat action this is a book that you will not be able to put down. I strongly recomend this book to anyopne intrested in the millitary or intellegence. Keep ...
Rsm_Garbutt 26.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Firewall - Andy McNab
